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The khopesh typically had a handle like a knife rather than a hilt like a sword. The handle was about 6 in (15 cm) long with optional quillons. The blade extended straight for 8 in to 2 ft (21 to 60 cm) and then curved like a sickle with a sharp convex edge. The end of the blade was shaped to form a hook.[3] An average khopesh cost 10 gp and weighed 7 lb (3.2 kg).[2] or 20 gp and weighed 12 lb (5.4 kg).[1]

The khopesh was a specialized weapon used in a slashing fashion like a sword or an axe. In fact, the khopesh probably evolved from the epsilon axe, which was a type of bardiche. The 4 ft (1.2 m) blade was long and heavy, making this weapon slow to recover especially after a missed swing.[3] Like battleaxes, which were slightly smaller, khopeshes could be wielded with either one or two hands by creatures of roughly human size, dealing more damage when wielded with two, though at the cost of defense. Khopeshes were more brutal than most weapons dealing at least minor wounds whenever it hit. Because of the unique shape of their curved blade, khopeshes could be used to hook a shield, snag an opponent's leg in an attempt to trip them, or even tangle an opposing weapon.[4][1]

Bronze and iron khopesh swords first appeared in Netheril in the year -3105 DR, serving as a primary military weapon for over a thousand years; both metals existed side-by-side in military and ceremonial functions, undergoing refinements until -2526 DR when steel-making technology advanced to the point where steel khopeshes were developed to deal with the newly introduced steel chain mail armour. The steel khopesh continued to evolve until -2059 DR when it ceased to be produced, leaving the field to the scimitars and longswords widely available at that time.[5] Khopeshes were commonly found and used in Calimshan[6] and Zakhara[7].